This invention relates to methods for flanging the periphery of a roof opening for a sliding roof portion and to an arrangement for carrying out the flanging.
As used herein, the term "sliding roof" includes not only a sunroof but all variations, such as a sliding ventilator roof, a ventilator roof, a large or small folding roof, etc. By the present invention, any motor vehicle roof opening can be framed, independently of the nature of the material of the roof portion to be inserted in the opening.
The fabrication of a sliding roof in a motor vehicle is comparatively expensive since, for stability of the roof and secure guidance of the slide, an auxiliary or reinforcing frame be mounted around the roof opening to receive the sliding roof. In the manufacture of the motor vehicle the sliding roof opening is usually punched out of the roof but, during or after its production and before it is attached to the body member, a flanged edge extending inwardly in relation to the roof is formed. Then the reinforcing frame is laid over the flanged edge and is attached to the roof by applying adhesive to the inside of the roof and/or to the reinforcing frame. When the reinforcing frame is inserted into the roof opening, the flanged edge centers it in the opening. Then the roof with the reinforcing frame is placed in a folding press in which the flanged edge is folded over the adjacent edge of the reinforcing frame. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the conventional tools and presses used for such flanging, beside being expensive, require a considerable amount of space, several presses usually being required for several folding operations including prefolding and finish folding. The mounting arrangements for the presses are also expensive, since they need special foundations and are therefore fixed in place. Because of the high cost of the folding tools, any change, for example to a different size of sliding roof opening, is very expensive and cost-intensive.